Alliance for Student Activities
DifferenceMaker Award

Official Rules and Information
2010 DifferenceMaker Award Winners

2011 DifferenceMaker Award Winners Announced

After careful evaluation of all the applications for the DifferenceMaker Award, the Alliance for Student Activities is proud to announce the national winners for 2011. The decision was a difficult one because of the high quality of the projects submitted; judges ultimately decided that in addition to the two national winners, they also would award two honorable mentions.  The 2011 NSLW DifferenceMaker Awards go to:

High School National Winner: Kingfisher HS Student Council in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, advised by Kathy Kadavy for its “Win-Win Week” project, a series of activities to raise awareness of cancer and cancer prevention and raise more than $6,600 for the Oklahoma Cancer Center. Student council members spearheaded awareness events at three sporting events, a “pinking out” of the school with T-shirts and bracelets stating “Never Take Defeat,” pink refreshment sales, teacher dares to raise funds, matching pledges from local businesses, and a dodgeball tournament—all with only three weeks in which to organize!

“For me the most meaningful aspect of Win-Win Week was to see a school totally united,” said KHS student council president Brandon Hubbard. “For that one week, we came together for an amazing cause and accomplished greatness. The looks on the students’ faces were priceless when the total amount of money raised was announced. It was amazing to look at the black numbers on that pink paper and think, ‘Wow, WE did that. Together.”

HS Honorable Mention: Harding High School National Honor Society chapter in St. Paul, Minn., advised by Angela Raven, for its “Start Small Dream Big Benefit Concert” that showcased the hidden talents of local youth and raised nearly $1,000 to support an artistic community youth program and the school’s music program. 

Middle Level National Winner: Larkspur Middle School in Virginia Beach, Va., advised by Daniel Keever, for its “LKMS and H2O for Life” project, which featured a variety of activities to raise more than $3,000 for H2O for Life and raise awareness of the urgent need for clean water, sanitation, and hygiene in schools and communities around the world. To reach their fundraising and awareness goals, student leaders organized activities to span the entire academic year including Global Hand-washing Day, a dance, a variety show of student talent, a 5K Fun Run/Walk, and a school-wide Walk for Water.
“Collectively, we feel that the impact of the entire H2O for Life project was great,” wrote Keever in the application. “At the start of the school year, most of our students had no idea how individuals in other countries lived day to day. They took for granted what it was like to be able to turn on a faucet and instantly have clean water flow. Through the efforts of this year-long project, our students have increased their global awareness and through our monetary donation, our partner school in Haiti will be able to have access to clean water too.”

ML Honorable Mention: Blanchard Middle School in Westford, Mass., advised by Liz Benstead, for its “Toys for Tots” toy drive that garnered 1,300 toys for needy children. The drive featured a toy trivia day with U.S. Marines, a door decorating contest, and such wacky incentives to reach the collection goal by teachers as a teacher dyeing his hair blue, another teaching on roller blades, another rapping a song, and so forth.
“We often hear that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. With their demonstrated concern for the people in their community and their willingness to do something to help those less fortunate than them, the student leaders at these award-winning schools have shown that they are leaders in their community today,” says Lyn Fiscus, vice president of the Alliance for Student Activities. “We applaud their efforts and salute them as DifferenceMakers.”

Join us in congratulating these Alliance members for making a difference in their communities. Plan now to submit one of your organization’s service projects for the 2012 DifferenceMaker Award. Applications are due March 31, 2012.

Download a 2012 DifferenceMaker Award Application

Activity advisors who are affiliated with the Alliance for Student Activities are encouraged to submit their organization’s best service project in consideration for the Alliance’s DifferenceMaker Award, which honors groups whose service to their community has made a difference in their world. One high school member and one middle level member will receive national recognition, a plaque for their school, and a speech by motivational speaker “The Original” Mike Smith at their school during the following year. Plaque and transportation for Mike Smith is provided by Herff Jones, Inc.

Official Rules

• Activity advisors in the United States and Canada who are affiliated with the Alliance are eligible to apply.
  
• Projects must be carried out between April 1, 2011 and March 30, 2012.
  
• A photocopy of the advisor’s membership card or other proof of current membership in the Alliance must accompany the application.
  
• Entries must be submitted on the official form.
  
• Attachments to elaborate on items mentioned in the application are acceptable if they are mounted on 8.5” x 11” sheets. Submit no more than five additional sheets. Additional materials can include photos, newspaper clippings, copies of printed programs, CDs, or DVDs.
  
• Winners will be selected based on their written application forms and accompanying attachments. Judges’ decisions are final.
  
• Winners will be notified individually and will be posted at www.alliance4studentactivities.org in April, 2012.
  
• Entries become the property of the Alliance and will not be returned. By entering, applicants grant the Alliance the right to publish names and quotes from entries in national materials and to the public. The Alliance reserves the rights (1) to not award a prize if none of the entries is deemed worthy and (2) to disqualify entries if they are not submitted according to the above guidelines.

Judging

A panel of judges representing organizations whose missions encompass service and leadership will judge the entries in April and will evaluate them based on:

• Engagement of the student body in the project (i.e., how many students were involved in the project)
• Impact of the project on the school or local community or results achieved
  
• Creativity of the project idea and/or its implementation
  
• Leadership demonstrated by group members in carrying out the project
  
• Written quality and clarity of the application.

Deadline for Entry

For award consideration, applications must be postmarked by March 31, 2011 and sent to DifferenceMaker Award, Alliance for Student Activities, 1129 Ortega Rd. NW, Albuquerque, NM 87114. (Note: The date stamped by the Post Office supersedes your school postage meter date.) Include a self-addressed, stamped postcard if you would like verification that your entry was received.

Download a 2012 DifferenceMaker Award Application

2010 DifferenceMaker Award Winners Announced

After careful evaluation of all the applications for the DifferenceMaker Award, the Alliance for Student Activities is proud to announce the national winners for 2010. The decision was a difficult one because of the high quality of the projects submitted; judges ultimately decided that in addition to the two national winners, they also would award three honorable mentions.  The 2010 NSLW DifferenceMaker Awards go to:

High School National Winner: Rockdale Magnet School for Science and Technology in Conyers, Georgia, advised by Susan Gary, for its “Food Wars” project, a food drive that enabled the local food bank to keep its doors open in a very lean time. The project involved a creative twist on a familiar class competition idea and pitted each grade level and the teachers against each other to see which group could bring in the most food.  When the student leaders delivered their initial collection to the food pantry and saw the empty shelves that were causing the pantry to close its doors, they went back to school and motivated their peers to more than double the amount originally collected.  Creative organization, strong student leadership, and good publicity fostered the group’s success, and enabled them to get the entire school community involved.

HS Honorable Mentions:

• Governor Mifflin High School in Shillington, Pa., advised by Nancy Brady, for its “Second Annual Mini-THON,” which raised $30,000 for The Four Diamonds Fund.
• Palos Verdes High School in Palos Verdes Estates, Calif., advised by Kristen Huber, for its “Hope for Haiti—A Concert for a Cause” project, which raised more than $10,000 for World Concern for Haitian recovery efforts.

Middle Level National Winner: Brooklawn Middle School in Parsippany, N.J., advised by Lou Miller, for its “Serve the Soldiers” project, in which students collected letters, cards, and personal items for the men and women of a United Stated army unit in Afghanistan.  A certificate from the commanding officer of the unit that received the care packages indicated that the Brooklawn student “greatly increased the morale of the soldiers.”

ML Honorable Mention:

• Governor Mifflin Middle School in Shillington, Pa., advised by Nancy Brady, for its “2009 Best Day Keep It Campaign Project,” created blankets, a book, and other items for children in Ivory Park, South Africa.

“We often hear that young people are the leaders of tomorrow. With their demonstrated concern for the people in their community and their willingness to do something to help those less fortunate than them, the student leaders at these award-winning schools have shown that they are leaders in their community today,” says Lyn Fiscus, vice president of the Alliance for Student Activities. “We applaud their efforts and salute them as DifferenceMakers.”

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